You must have spent many bucks building your luxury hot tub. Looking at its yellow water will currently kill the enjoyment. Also, it’s really unhygienic and might cause skin irritation as well. That’s why you must know how to fix the yellow water in your tub.
This yellow water problem can be easily fixed if you clean the tub thoroughly. If your tub filter is old enough, replace it immediately. You can also flix the water by shocking and flushing. Whatever you do, you need to know the primary thing causing such yellow water issues.
Stick with this article to eliminate yellow water in your hot tub. Hiring any professionals might hand you a huge bill. Instead, you better learn how to fix this yellow water issue.
Is yellow hot tub water safe?
Interestingly, yellow hot tub water is safe in most cases. However, the real danger will depend on the fact that how your tub got yellow.
In most cases, it’s just the result of low maintenance that ultimately leaves tub freshwater look yellowish. Scientifically, the yellow hot water tub doesn’t always carry dangerous elements. However, if you’re not sure about them, it’s better to get rid of yellow water.
Also, if you’ve sensitive skin, imbalanced minerals in the water can cause an allergic reaction to your skin. If you accidentally drink the water, it can cause you water illness.
Besides, the yellow water can be a sign of low alkalinity. Such water needs to be sanitized to avoid potential risks.
Sometimes, yellow water in your tub can be a sign that your house water supply has a high iron level. Such water will damage your tub in no time and threaten your skin and hair. And, such contaminated water is never safe to bathe with.
What are the Things Causing Yellow Water in Your Tub?
Your hot tub’s yellow water can be a result of low maintenance. But there are a few other things that will cause you such issues.
Don’t panic and give a quick check on these most common reasons that are responsible for such issues:
Imbalance of Minerals/ Organic Materials
Yellow water generally indicates that your tub water supply has a high iron/ manganese/ chlorine level.
In order to maintain the tub water crystal clear, your water should have balanced minerals in it. High concentrations of minerals will lead to sediment buildup and get you yellow water.
And such issues generally happen if you use a hard water supply. Moreover, the soap, shampoo, and body wash chemical reaction with hard water can cause yellow water as well.
Rust

Rust is another thing that will cause yellow water in your tub. Well, rusting happens if you don’t scrub the tub weekly. It can also happen if you forget to drain and supply clean water regularly in the tub. Rust doesn’t only attack the tub.
It can also happen on your hot tub pipes. And such rusty pipes will get a yellow tinge and supply contaminated water. Such yellow water can stain your skin.
You should also check the water heater to see if it has rusted. A rusty water heater can turn your freshwater yellow.
Bromine Level
This is dangerous if you are getting yellow water in the hot tub because of the high concentration of Bromine.
High bromine levels will influence bacterial growth in the tub. It can do quick directions with oil, sweat, dirt, and cosmetic chemicals. Excessive Bromine can also imbalance the pH level of the water.
Such yellow water is the first thing for children/sensitive-skinned persons to avoid.
Bacteria and Algae Growth
Bacterial and algae growth is currently something to worry about. It feels filthy and damages your health by bathing in such water. You can easily recognize this sign of yellow water with unpleasant odors on the tub.
If you don’t clean the rust, it will cause bacteria and algae in your tub water. And this ultimately hampers your well water system.
How To Fix Yellow Water in Hot Tub?
If you can figure out the exact things that accuse yellow water in your tub, half of your job is done. It is nothing hard to fix the yellow water issue by yourself.
Check Out these quick, easy fixes and try whichever seems right for your problem:
Clean Your Tub Well
Cleaning the hot tub regularly is part of its maintenance. You better use a commercial tub and tile cleaner to remove yellow stains thoroughly.
If the stains are deep, you better try scrubbing them. You can also use vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda to remove those yellow or green stains.
You can use a soft bristle brush while scrubbing the surface. You also need to keep the hose, water heater, tank, and other parts clean. If you notice any rustings try cleaning them out immediately.
Fix the pH level
The ideal pH level of your hot water tub will be 7.2 to 7.6. If you notice the pH level getting high, you must give it a weekly shock with chlorine.
This will not only fix the yellow water but also will keep the tub water clean and healthy. Follow the process to do it right. Generally, it will take only 15 minutes to shock your hot water tub.
You can use Chlorine-based shock which usually takes up to 24 hours for the water level to become normal. Click here to have a proper guideline about chlorine-based shock treatments on your hot tub.
Check Water Supply
Yellow water might come because of water contamination.
If you don’t find any issue with the tub, inspect the water health of your house. If you find them contaminated, contact the local water supply authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Well, your hot water can be attacked by bacteria. There are a few signs, like strong odors and cloudy water, that will indicate that the tub has bacteria. Also, bathing in such contaminated water will cause eye and respiratory irritation or skin irritation.
Your hot water tub should be “crystal clear”. But, if you use bathing balls or shower gels, the color will surely change. Before that, you should expect clean and healthy water in your tub.
Wrap Up
Hot tub yellow water is always a big concern for users. Especially if you are using the public hot tub, yellow water can be more dangerous. This can carry unwanted germs and health issues.
It’s better to try to eliminate these as soon as possible. Here you’ve learned the core facts about contaminated hot tub water, and its fixing tips. If you have patience and a little time, you can fix this issue by yourself. Just Follow the process.